The Prince
by C.C. Geekiest
Summary: Since Hiccup's death nine years ago, the village has lived on. Stoic's reign as chief of course extends but most of the Vikings of Hiccup's generation have become leaders in the village. The raids continue however. And by the year they escalate. Six years ago, it was discovered that there may just be a leader to the raids. The man who rides a demon... Must be a demon. Right?
1. Chapter 1

**_Three years after the death of Hiccup Haddock, the heir to Berk's chiefdom..._**

 _Houses aflame, sky dark and eerie... Clear of storm clouds but filled with ash clouds, loud with the screams of the victims and the crying children and the enraged warriors._

 _A dragon raid is a violent battle. Everything about a raid is dark and grusome. Not everyone has the guts for it. Every viking though does. Or is expected to at least._

 _Fishlegs Ingerman has lived on 18 years with it. He has the guts for it but unlike the rest of the village he has a mind that can be reasoned with. A mind yearning for knowledge. Maybe he isn't the best strategist but he is the best opponent. That idea that one should know every last thing about their opponent in order to take them down, he's the best. He can tell a warrior what dragon they are up against, what that dragon's strong suits are, what that dragon's weaknesses are, what the dragon's next move will most likely be, and all the in between._

 _Fishlegs has a mind that can be reasoned with. And that is the reason it will be Fishlegs who will be the first chosen to be involved with one of the most mysterious figures the archipelago will ever know. Or rather... Not know._

 _-The Prince of Dragons_

In this raid, Fishlegs Ingerman is simply aiding in putting out fires. He typically does, he is not much of a fighter, not a complete fishbone that can't so much as hold a small axe like his friend Hiccup had once struggled with. No, not at all like that. But rather, he isn't fond of the idea of killing a dragon. He will aid in the capture of one but not killing one.

The raid goes on like any other. Nothing out of the ordinary. That is until Gobber yells a dreadful four words immediately following the sound of a whistling screech. "NIGHT FURY! GET DOWN!" and this is immediately followed by a purple plasma blast coming from a mysterious source in the sky hitting the first of what will be many big weapons. This first blast takes out three catapults. A Night Fury hasn't been seen in three years but Fishlegs remembers it still has only ever shot six shots and has never once missed a reasonable target.

A second blast follows. Then a third... Fourth... And fifth. And at this point all the catapults have been taken out along with all other long distance weapons. But there is still one more shot. It does not come immediately... Fishlegs stops working and waits. The dragon always uses all six. What is it waiting for? It's almost as if he's searching for a target, saving it?

Then, he hears the nightmaric whistle. The plasma blast hits the back of the forge. Fishlegs runs towards it wondering 'Why the forge?' A dragon doesn't know what a forge is, surely. Especially this forge.

Gobber is busy fighting but Fishlegs is attentive. The entrance is not in the heap of the flames and so he walks in, going to the back where the main fire is, where the building was hit. The curtain that separated the backroom that used to belong to Hiccup had already burnt away. From that entrance Fishlegs can see a figure. "I see you! Get out of-" he's cut off by the figure pulling out an extendable sword. Fishlegs puts his hands up and steps back as the figure steps forward. This guy is cloaked in black and wears what appears to be a metal mask. Under the cloak is what appears to be leather armor.

The two are now in the front of the forge which has yet to be engulfed in flames. Fishlegs waits for him to do something. "Sharpshot, come," he says. A Terrible Terror comes out from under the cloak and hands the man a rolled up paper. He brings down the sword and holds this paper out to Fishlegs who takes it cautiously.

"Who are you?" Fishlegs asks but does not get an answer to. Instead the man just points to him then puts his finger to the place his lips would be behind the metal mask. "You want me to be quiet? This is a raid, no one-" the man shakes his head and points to the letter in his hand. Next to the terrible terror, then to himself. "Keep quiet... About the dragon, the letter and you. You don't want me to tell anyone we met?" the man nods and again points to the paper then puts his fingers to his lips. "I won't keep any promises."

Fishlegs watched the man's stance shift, his eyes darken even more. "Sharpshot, shoot." he whispers. The terrible terror shoots at Fishlegs who quickly dodges.

"Are you trying to threaten me? What if I tell?"

The man then points to himself then to his head. It means he'll know. He pulls his sword out again and points it at Fishlegs. He nods his head gesturing for Fishlegs to leave. He does. With a warrior's face, he turns around and begins walking away. When he looks back, the cloaked man is gone.

No... Not a man. A very young man. The next question though is how did he get to Berk? Is he hiding somewhere? Did he sail right before the raid while people slept? Did he know the raid would happen?

Fishlegs decides to hide the letter and help with the fires as the raid ends. His help is needed. It isn't until that night when he is in his room does he take out the letter. is The next question is, how does the guy know who Fishlegs is?


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello. Glad so many people liked the first chapter. Little intro: my name is Cat. This is my 6th year online. I write a lot, don't post a lot though. The good thing about this story is that I've been working on it for a year and all I really need to do is fix errors and fill in holes.**

 **Originally chapter 2 was how Fishlegs responded and this little alliance began however I feel like it reveals a lot of information too quickly so instead we are moving on and will come back to the response. Will go back in time.**

 **The main focus in this story will actually be about "Prince" and Astrid. As you are about to see.**

 **Prince... Or I'm sure it is very obvious to the reader... Hiccup is a character you will love and hate. He's a badass in the sense he isn't some weakling, he has new experiences and bitterness under his belt along with a new life. He isn't who he was when he left but he is also no bad guy most of the time. Most of the time... He's never truly the bad guy but remember he's not that Hiccup that left so his bad guy moments will be mostly between him and Astrid.**

 **Enjoy chapter 2...**

 **Nine years after the death of Hiccup Haddock, the heir chief of Berk...**

 _Astrid Hofferson, the fearless viking warrior of her generation. Fierce. Beautiful. The head of the Dragon Training operations for the last five years... And she's unmarried. This is important. Two weeks ago, the council of Berk met without Astrid to discuss desperate measures to end the raids. Their epic grand plan is to send Astrid away against her will with The Dragon Prince. If he is demon then she is a sacrifice. If he is man then she can kill him. Or he will kill her and it will prove nothing. Anyways... Fishlegs is furious. Of course he knows The Dragon Prince won't hurt her, the council doesn't know that. So to make a statement he has requested the Dragon Prince take Astrid Hofferson off Berk until there is a plan for the raids to stop, until then this will tell Berk who is really in control._

 _I am not a fan. Fishlegs thinks she can change. I can't say I agree. The only reason am agreeing to this is because I like the idea that we are showing Berk who is in control... Maybe they'll listen to that._

 _\- The Prince of Dragons_

Astrid wakes up to the all too familiar sound of a horn blowing throughout the village. She knows what it means and grabs her axe as she jolts out of bed and out of the house. The outside world greets her with a bitter morning cold accompanied by the burning warmth of flames. She joins in the chaos, crying her battle cry and raising her axe. Astrid's first target is a Deadly Nadder as she throws the axe, she notices the sound of an all too familiar screeching whistle followed by the appearance of a purple blast. She is surprised by the fact that it was a blast aimed at her axe. Surprised... And her heart begins to race. Was the Night Fury and its rider targeting her?

She concludes this too late and before she can run for her axe another shot hits too close to her feet for her own comfort. Deciding to run the other way, she nearly stumbles when she turns around and is facing a flame... It takes Astrid minute to calm down enough to see the flame comes from a figure holding it like a sword. This is the figure she has no doubt must be the Prince of Dragons. Her heart races and she once again tries to turn the other way only to come face to face with a big black dragon she has never seen before. While Astrid is turned away, the Prince creates a surrounding fire, leaving the woman with no escape. She musters up enough courage to face him again, this time pulling out a knife in her boot. Her opponent puts away the flaming sword to fight her. It isn't much of a fight though, Astrid's fear distracts her from focusing soley on the fight.

The Prince blocks her first two blows then manages two blows to her stomach, giving Astrid a new slouch for a minute. This gives him time to simply swipe his leg under her feet. She almost avoids it, but one foot is caught and she falls over face down. He quickly grabs one of her arms to have a hold on her then reaches the other hand by her neck and pinching specific area hard enough that Astrid blacks out, half unconscious. He grabs both of her arms to lift her off the ground, tying her arms behind her, and lifts her off her feet to mount her in the Dragon. She begins to recover but not in time before he is mounted on the Night Fury behind her. The moment they are off the ground, Astrid begins to struggle to get her arms free just so she can be able to hold onto something. But he does not grant her such privilege.

Astrid buries herself into the dragon, not wanting to look up in fear for her life. The Dragon Rider, the Prince, doesn't do anything about it. Where he is taking her, why he took her... She doesn't know. She has no weapons on her.

Astrid is a Hofferson. She is not supposed to be afraid. But she is. She's afraid of this man and what he could do. She's afraid that she may never see her family, friends, or home again. And she has only been up for less than an hour...


	3. Chapter 3

_Astrid Hofferson was someone her generation would turn to in fear when their name was called next to her's for a sparring match. Who knew if you sent a little shiver down her spine her fight dies. Who knew it would be The Prince of Dragons that would defeat her so easy._

 _\- The Prince of Dragons_

It feels like hours before they land. Which, it probably has been hours. When they do land, she finally looks up and sees the sun is at its peak. It is already noon. The Prince dismounts first before he places his strong hands around on her waist and pullsbher down off the black dragon. Astrid finally asks "What do you want with me? Where are we?" Her voice sounds more panicked than she would have liked. He doesn't answer but instead just shakes his head and takes her arm.

Astrid just now acknowledges where they had landed, on the edge of a hut. "Why did you take me?" She tries again as they enter inside.

The inside is strange, it isn't entirely wood. The hut is half wood and half cave. The Prince just shakes his head again and leads her deeper into the cave portion, they pass the fire pit with no fire burning. Astrid takes a look behind her to see the dragon following them inside. It opens its mouth and aims at the fire pit, spitting a blast to light it and curling up next to the ground. The noise of the blast had made the Prince stop and look behind. He shakes his head in an almost annoyed way before continuing on.

He leads her to a room within the cave portion of the hut, opening the door and leading her inside. A fire pit, bed of furs and desk is all that fills the room. He finally lets go of her because this is where he is likely to keep her prisoner. "I'm your prisoner now?" He shakes his head again. "Then what am I? Why did you take me? Who are you?"

This time he does nothing. Instead, he takes something out of a compartment of his armor. The thing lights up, and he used this to light the fire. The Prince then takes out a knife and gestures for her to turn around. Astrid's heart races until she feels the ropes holding her arms release. She turns to face him quickly. He puts out his hand, palm facing her as he backs up to the door. This is a gesture for her to stay. As soon as Astrid realizes this, she runs for the door but he shuts it and locks it sooner than she can react.

"Let me out! You demonic child of Loki! LET ME OUT AND TAKE ME HOME!" She screams and bangs on the door. It doesn't take long for her to give up on it, he has her locked in.

She decides to take a seat on the bed. It is pretty comfortable...

Astrid wakes from her nap, and she is hungry. Moaning, she gets up and walks to the door. She bangs on it in frustration before looking down at the handle. Trying her luck, she tries to open it... And to her surprise that is exactly what it does.

Opening the door, she slowly gets close enough to peak out. She sniffs the air. Something is being cooked... And it smells nice. Following the smell, she walks the halls of the cave till she is looking into a wooden hut. This isn't the same one she had entered in.

In the middle, a pot is over a fire and something is cooking inside. She examines the space furtherly and in a corner she finds the royal highness himself sitting against his black dragon. Hood up and mask on, he looks to be drawing or writing in a journal. Astrid sneaks closer, knowing the prince must already realize her presence. The dragon is peacefully sleeping, the rider doesn't look on guard or anything as she got to her comfort zone of proximity. Astrid finally speaks, "What are you?"

At first he is silent, seeming focused on what he is doing. Then he says, "I am many things. A blacksmith, swordsman, dragon rider, you name it. I might be it." That was the first time she ever heard him speak.

"Why did you take me?"

"No reason that is terribly important."

Astrid wants to punch him for that, if it wasn't important than why is she there?! "Then take me back!"

"I will. Just not now."

"Then when?!"

"You'll know when I take you back."

"Which will be..."

"Not at this moment."

"You have some nerve, you know that! I'm one of Berk's best worriers!"

"I see..." She realizes just how much he cares to pay attention.

"Where are we?"

"Far away from your home."

"But where?"

"If I told you, you still wouldn't know. There is no point."

"Who are you?"

"They say I'm the Prince of Dragons."

He had avoided answering all of her questions and she has had it. Astrid stomps over until she was hovering over him. As she reaches for the mask, his hand not holding the pencil to paper shoots up and grabs her wrist. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Take that damn thing off, coward."

"A coward? So that goes in the "what am I" category."

Astrid decides to use her other hand to go after his mask. However, at that point he sweeps out one of his legs and trips her over. Astrid lands on her back harshly, knocking the wind out of her.

The Prince gets up and walks around her. As she sits up, she sees him checking on whatever he is cooking. "What are you making?"

"Dinner. I thought you would be hungry. I apologize, I should have let you have something to eat earlier. But it slipped my mind since I only eat two meals a day."

Astrid realizes, looking at him, he really is a skinny man as far she can see. He's over 6 feet tall and seems strong. "Who are you?"

"Oh yes, that question again. You seem to be mistaken, milady. I'm not answering that question."

"Don't call me milady. I'm not your lady."

"And what may I call you then? Perhaps by your name?"

"I'll tell you my name if you tell me your name."

"Well, you see milady, I am at no loss if I don't accept that deal. You are the one who doesn't want me calling you milady and I also already know who you are. If I didn't, you wouldn't be here."

"You know... Who I am?"

"Astrid Hofferson, of the fearless Hofferson clan. Yes I'm well aware. No I didn't just decide 'lets pick up the blonde today.' I don't just pick people up, for your information."

"How? How do you know who I am? What are you? Some kind of creeper?"

"I already told you what I am but no, creeper is not it."

"Then how do you know who I am?"

"I'll tell you eventually if you're a good girl."

"A good girl for what?"

He lets out a sigh and turns to her "someone loves to ask question after question... They aren't even different questions just worded differently. You'll find out soon enough now so be patient," he tells her as he grabs a ladle and a bowl. She watches him dip into the pot, the stew overflowing the spoon as he dumps it in the bowl. Astrid then remembers how hungry she is, she hadn't even eaten breakfast when the dragons raided this morning.

His royal highness (as Astrid would often refer to him when he came up in conversation on Berk) sets the bowl on the table and then pulls out a chair, gesturing for her to come sit down. She hesitates at first but does so. "So I'm your prisoner?"

He sighs again. "Do you want to be my prisoner?"

"No, I want you to take me home."

"That's not happening. So accommodate otherwise."

"I'm not your play thing either, if that's-"

"Oh I know very well. You're a fighter, a worrier. A fierce one at that." he seems to be making fun of her, not because he doesn't believe she is a warrior but because she is telling him what he already knows.

"Then why-"

"Ask that again and that's the only meal you're getting here."

Astrid quickly shuts up and looks down at the stew. It smells better than anything she had ever smelled before on Berk. Though her mother was fair at cooking and the food served at the great hall was the best on Berk, it was usually dull in taste. "How do I know it's not poisoned?" She asks, then noticing that he had left her side to get himself a bowl.

The Prince walks back over and sets his bowl down but uses his spoon. He dips the spoon into her bowl and lifts his mask slightly to take a bite of the stew before putting the mask down and putting the spoon back in his bowl. "It's safe," he says before walking away and sitting on the ground near the dragon. He sits with his back facing her, though she is sitting in a chair facing away from him, she watches to wonder why. The Prince removes his mask and sets the bowl down beside him, sitting criss cross. Astrid looks closer to see that he's in that journal again.

Astrid turns back to the table, takes her spoon and begins eating. Her first bite takes her by surprise, she had never tasted anything so good either.

Astrid is silent as she eats, her hunger going away. The stew is satisfying and when she finishes she turns around. The Prince has already finished his bowl as well and his mask is back on. She takes note that the dragon is now awake and watching him with docile eyes. "That's a Night Fury..."

"What was your first hint? The black or the purple plasma blasts?"

"My friend was killed by one. I saw it happen. He was probably eaten."

"That would be an interesting scenario. Dragons don't eat human. They eat fish. Certain dragons like certain fish. They also like crop such as bread and cabbage. But mostly fish. And they hate eels. But humans? Not on the menu, sorry to disappoint."

"Then how do you explain the heir chief of my village? He disappeared with a night fury, just like that one! How can you sit next to a beast like, help them destroy villages and make them suffer?!"

"You know... Your friend disappearing with a night fury doesn't mean he was killed by one."

"How else do you explain it then?"

"Perhaps he's still alive. Maybe don't ask me to open my eyes when your eyes are still closed."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly how I said it. You're a smart lass, Astrid. I feel confident to say that at least I assume you're a smart lass."

"Hiccup wouldn't have been able to defend himself, he had to have been killed!"

"If he couldn't defend himself then why would a dragon feel the need to attack? You see, dragons only attack when provoked which explains why your village and many others suffer from more than just missing live stock and crops."

"So..."

"So either your friend did manage to threaten a dragon or maybe he didn't fight it at all which would leave a likely chance that he's still alive."

"It's been nine years. He hasn't come home."

"That means absolutely nothing. That would depend on what kind of person he was. Maybe he saw the same thing I see in dragons and didn't want to go back. Maybe he was taken somewhere and can't get off. Or maybe dragons weren't the only ones involved in which case, you're right."

"He was smart... I'm sure if he was alive he would have found a way home."

"Or maybe, Astrid, you need to look closer at the facts other than what you think you saw. A disappearing boy and night fury has more than one conclusion, I should know," he says as he closes his journal and stands. "Feel free to explore, just please don't touch anything that you might break."

"Wait where are you going?"

"Out."

"You're leaving me here by myself?"

"Yes."

"But what if something happens?"

"Like what?"

"Attacks? Dragons?"

"Don't fight a dragon and they won't fight you. I've lived here for a long time and no other human has ever found this place unless I brought them here. Also... The only other dragon you have a likely chance of seeing is a Terrible Terror who can't hurt a fly if he tried."

"Who have you brought here?"

"You and one other person. You're safe. I won't be long."

He and Toothless begin to walk out. "Where are you going?"

He stops, turns around, "out."

"I asked where. On a raid?"

"No."

"Then-"

He suddenly bangs on the table, startling her. "You are in no place to be asking questions but yet I can't seem to get you to shut up. You may be the most idiotic captive I've ever come across!" he says biting off rage, scaring Astrid. "Not one more word from you tonight, is that understood?" She nods. "I could be a pretty nasty man. You don't know. Why would you take a chance like that by testing my patience?" she doesn't respond, and he just clenches his fists and leaves frustrated.


	4. Chapter 4

She sits silently and thinks about what he said. _'A disappearing boy and night fury has more than one conclusion.' Does that have anything to do with him? Astrid doesn't know of any villages that fight alongside dragons, so how did he get involved with one? Who is he? Where did he come from? Is he even a viking?_

Astrid had fallen asleep by the time the Prince gets back. She wakes up slightly to the feeling of being moved. She can blurly see the Prince's mask, she could feel his body. He is carrying her. And soon, laying her in the new but familiar bed. Astrid quickly falls back to sleep.

The next morning, Astrid lays in bed before getting up. She has to think. She has to leave... Knock him out? But what about the Night Fury? And how will she get off the island before either of them realize she's on the run... Even if she manages to get off there is no way he won't find her. He'll know where she's going. So just them both...

Thinking about killing Prince makes Astrid feel a bit sick. He seems semi decent. But twisted. And something in her gut is comfortable with him.

Astrid comes to the conclusion to wait. See what he wants. Trick him. Find a way off. She just needs a little time is all.

Next matter of business... She needs to call him something other than "The Prince" or "royal highness."

Astrid walks down the cave hall, she can smell a breakfast being prepared. When she walke into the living area, the royal highness is sitting atop a stone counter, reading a piece of paper. A little terrible terror is wrapped around his neck relaxing. "Do you read and write in Norse?"

When he looks up... She can see his unamused green eyes. "Maybe you aren't that smart."

"That is a valid question! I don't know where you are from, you could just speak Norse and be native to another language."

"I speak, write, and read in Norse. I only know parts of other languages."

"Wow you actually gave me a real answer. Was that so hard? Did it kill you?"

He crumbles up the paper and tosses it into the fire. "Hm... Well suddenly I am seeing a white light..."

"Oh so the Prince of Dragons is funny too?"

"Is there somewhere this is supposed to be going?"

"No I've just been trying to come up with human qualities for you."

"Eating, breathing and sleeping aren't enough for you?"

"Another good quality would be a name to call you by."

"You already call me by my name."

"What do you mean?"

"People started calling me The Prince of Dragons because my name is Prince."

"You're kidding right?"

"Never heard anyone call me the King have you? Or master or rider... Or trainer... Because that's what I do. I train dragons. Not control them. Or rule over them. Dragons aren't hostile but they don't take orders from people."

"Prince... How long have you been with the Night Fury?"

"His name is Toothless by the way. And I've been with him since my teens."

"And you are how old now?"

"An age that is not young or old... A number... That is above 20 but below 50."

Astrid growls in frustration "Ahg!"

"Look here's the deal... I obviously don't really want you here. My only job is to keep you off of Berk and it doesn't matter why... It just matters that it happens. I'm not your friend or guardian... I don't really care if you like me or hate me but you're stuck here. That being said... My personal life stays personal. What you currently do not know about me will remain unknown for a pretty good amount of time so if I were you I would move on and just deal with the situation... Make hthee best of it? I bet you have never seen docile dragons before. Learn from it."

Astrid sighs in frustration. "What do you do all day here?"

"I'm not here."

"Where do you go?"

"Places."

She growls again. "Okay... What am I supposed to do?"

Prince hops off the counter and approaches her, walking past her he says "I'm not a babysitter so the rules are simple. If it has a door it is locked during the day. Don't touch anything you night brake and no I don't have any arsenal of weapons for you to play with. Don't get lost... I'll show you around some. If there is no torch light lighting it... I recommend you don't go to it." they walk silently for awhile until the come across the first stop. "It is slippery and steep but down there is a cave pool. It's pretty warm. I have a fire pit down there and a chest of wood. Feel free to bath whever you want. Wasn't planning to deprive you of that." Along that route is also a privy. Back in the upper levels of the cave he presents a study. "I cleared it out. I used to have another resident use it. When they left I began using it. I don't need it really, I have plenty spaces to call my own. Any of the books in here are your's to read, there's paper, charcoal, chest of wood or the fire pit and a few torches. You'll be alone a lot... Sorry..." Astrid can tell he does feel a little guilty about this information. "If there is anything more you want I can see if I can get it. Uh... Clothing and such isn't an issue. I have a friend about your size. If I'm wrong then... I guess I'll have to take you to the market place near hear."

"So I will be allowed to leave this rock?"

"You can't just leave. Unless you're a sorceress and can make a boat or wood appear. The only way off is by dragon. So good luck with that. But yes... If you don't cause me trouble you can come to the more general locations I head to." he explains as they make their way back to the living space. He tends to preparing breakfast, a bowl of porage and a fruit is what he sets out for her. And cup of some sort of juice.

Astrid sits at the table, noting that Prince is not preparing a meal for himself. Instead he sits back up on he counter top, legs crossed and he opens his journal and begins to write and draw. "So is that a diary? Do you keep all your feelings in there or something?"

Prince looks at her. "Do I not appear to have feelings?"

"No I've seen you angry, frustrated... Those are feelings... You can joke too."

"It's as if I'm human."

"Oh come on you know what I mean. Not all feelings are surfaced."

"I guess then you can call it a diary... I write excess information down. The things that are useful or necessary to regular conversation. I vent too. I write questions, draw things I imagine... Just whatever is there taking up space I guess."

"I had a friend who always appeared to have his nose in a journal. He would walk and write, talk and write, work and write, eat and write. I guess I'm intrigued to find someone else sort of like that."

"Excess information..." he says then shuts the journal. "I need to be on my way out. I'll bring back clothing and such. If you think of anything else I will pick it up tomorrow. You saw where I got the fruits, and the porage is your's if you get hungry. I'll cook dinner when I get back."

"Wait where are you going?"

"Work."

"You work?"

"Have to make money in order to provide to three people and two dragons."

"Wow wait... Three?"

"Yeah believe it or not Astrid the Prince of Dragons isn't some lonely caveman. I have to go." He sprints off, followed by Toothless.


	5. Chapter 5

Over the course of the next few days, Astrid began to fall into a routine. She would help wash dishes after every meal, sit outside for periods of time, memorize the halls. She also learned Prince's routine as well. He leaves the cave when the Sun is about to rise and returns once sunrise is through. All but one of the days he left around the ninth hour of the day and didn't return until around the 18th hour. He hasn't left late at night since that first time which may mean he can't know when a raid will happen. He hasn't told her where he goes during the day. But when he returns he doesn't interact with her. He just says he's going to work on something.

It's been a week. Astrid gets up before dawn one morning and leaves her room, finding Prince in the hanger getting ready to leave. "Where do you go?"

"The sky. What are you doing out of your room this time of morning?"

"Wouldn't it make more sense to ask why I'm awake?"

"You've been awake at this time for the last three mornings. You're watching what I do."

"How..."

"You got up that first morning. Made some noise."

"... Where do you go so early and so late at night?"

"Just a flight. Nothing more or less."

"What about during the day?"

Suddenly Toothless nudges Prince. He wants to leave. "I'll be back soon. You can go make yourself breakfast or something."

"Wait, I-" she doesn't get to finish before he is off.

Astrid sighs and walks to the kitchen. She stops there though. Instead of getting breakfast, she decides to wonder the halls again, looking for anything that may tell her who Prince is and where she is.

She walks where she has never walked before, the area of the save she knows he spends the most time in when he is around. Down the hall is quite a few entrances to rooms. The closed off room he once told her she was never allowed into. It was doored off even. She tries to open the door but it is locked. Giving up on that she continues down the hall. She must have walked to another end of the mountain because she finds a room similar to the hanger and living room/kitchen. It looks to be like a forge. She walked in. A lot of paper and work laying around. This must be where he goes often. The drawings pinned to the wall are all of the gear that he puts on Toothless. Looking closer at them she realizes the drawings of a tailfin.

Also on the desk is a painting on a small wooden plaque. It is a portrait of a woman. She picks it up. The girl is pretty, she wears jewels and a beautiful dress unlike any Astrid had ever seen. But who is this girl?

Astrid's thoughts are interrupted by the familiar voice. "Sneaking around are you?"

"AHHH!" he had startled her. She drops the portrait, turning around to face Prince. They don't speak. She just continues to be frightened and he just stares. It takes a minute but Astrid slowly gets down and picks up the portrait. With shaking hands she is about to hand it to him but as he's about to grab it She pulls away. "Who is this?"

"Why does it matter? You wouldn't know her even if I told you."

"Who is she to you? Why would you have a painting of a girl?"

"It doesn't matter. Give it back to me. You shouldn't have been in here."

"No. First you answer two questions. Who is this girl? And what are these drawings?"

"You really think you can hold a silly little trinket as ransom?"

"Is she another girl you wanted to save?"

"Wanted to save her?" He suddenly seems taken aback by his own words. Putting his head down. "Put that thing back. Come to breakfast." With that, he turns to leave. Astrid follows behind the Night Fury after putting the portrait back on the desk. As she walks the halls, she looks down at the tail. She never noticed before but he's missing a tailfin.

"Prince, what were the drawings for?"

"What are you blind?"

"How did it happen then? How does Toothless have a missing tailfin?"

"It's simple. A viking did it. It was a barbaric act by a barbaric person."

"Who are you to judge? You raid the village! You don't even realize how us vikings suffer."

"I don't?"

"No! You don't!"

"I'm no Viking I guess that would make sense." they make it into the kitchen. Astrid stands there for a minute. "Have a seat, milady."

"Who was your other guest?"

"My other guest?"

"You said you have roomed one other person before me. Who was it? Why were they here?"

"You can starve if you want."

"Stop avoiding my questions!"

"What are you going to do about it?"

He was right. She has no leverage. "I won't trust you until I know exactly what kind of person I'm stuck here with. I feel like a prisoner."

"Oh well."

"I want to leave."

"Then leave."

Astrid was taken aback. "Just like that?"

"Fly a dragon. And leave." there was a kick after all.

"Never!"

"Sure... Have fun spending another day alone." he then walks out of the kitchen with Toothless.

"I'm no traitor to my people." Astrid says sternly.

"A traitor would ride a dragon then is that right?"

"That's right."

"Well your only way off is by dragon. So..."

"It won't be by my will."

"Of course it will be. You can survive on the island many years, you will never have to leave."

Astrid opens her mouth to speak but is interrupted.

"Oh and I've got something real good to rattle your pride... Your friend you believe is dead... Do you really believe he's dead? Do you wish he were alive somewhere in he world?"

"I would give anything for him to be alive."

"Including realizing he may be a so called traitor?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like I told you... A missing boy and a Night Fury have more than one conclusion." he reminds her of the conversation they had on the first night.

"If he were some how alive because of the Night Fury that doesn't mean he befriended any dragon."

"But it could. I'm just telling you, Astrid that not everything is as you think it is."

"Hiccup was the heir chief to Berk. He wouldn't betray his people."

"Okay... Whatever you say, milady."

"I told you not to call me that!" She throws the fruit beside her at him. He catches it.

"So threatening." Prince deadpans.

"Why don't you give me an axe or a knife so I can show you threatening?!"

"Very well." and with that Prince flicks out a knife, backing Astrid into the table. She has nothing to fight with. "Tell me, Astrid. Have you ever been on the losing side of combat?"

"If this was a fair fight-"

"But it's not. I have the weapon, the dragon... So you're telling me you can only win when it's fair? That's disappointing." as if he is truly disappointed she doesn't believe she would win the fight, he pushes away. Astrid releases a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I have to go."

"You're all bark and no bite." She tells him as he makes his way out of the room.

"Maybe."


End file.
